The Vatican has for the first time published the prayer the Knights Templar composed when "unjustly imprisoned", in which they appealed to the Virgin Mary to persuade "our enemies" to abandon "calumnies and lies" and revert to "truth and charity".

L’Osservatore Romano, the Vatican newspaper, said the prayer was further proof that the order, which was dissolved in the fourteenth century, was not heretical. The knights were innocent of the charges against them, which included the accusation that they worshipped idols such as a "monstrous statue, half man and half goat".

The L’Osservatore Romano article, by Barbara Frale, the Vatican Secret Archives scholar who has made a special study of the knights, said it was untrue that the knights were guilty of "decadence, heresy and immoral practices".

The move follows legal action by the alleged heirs of Knights Templar to force the Vatican to restore the reputation of the disgraced order and acknowledge that assets worth some 80 million pounds were confiscated. [I think we can, however, avoid falling into a post hoc ergo propter hoc conclusion.]

The Association of the Sovereign Order of the Temple of Christ, based in Spain, says that when the order was dissolved by Pope Clement V in 1307, over 9000 properties, farms and and commercial ventures belonging to knights were seized by the Church.

It is not however demanding that they be handed back, only that the order be "rehabilitated". A British branch also claiming descent from the Knights Templar and based in Hertfordshire has called for a papal apology for the persecution of the order.

The Knights Templar were founded at the time of the First Crusade in the eleventh century to protect Christians making the pilgrimage to Jerusalem. The Order was endorsed by the Vatican, but when Acre fell in 1291 and the Crusaders lost their hold on the Holy Land support faded, amid growing envy of the order’s fortune in property and banking, and rumours about its corrupt and arcane secret ceremonies.

Whispers said novices had to deny Christ three times, spit on the cross, strip naked and kiss their superior on the buttocks, navel, and lips and submit to sodomy. King Philip IV of France, who coveted the order’s wealth, arrested its leaders and put pressure on Clement V to dissolve it. Several knights, including the Grand Master, Jacques de Molay, were burned at the stake.

However Dr Frale said the arrests by Philip IV were "absolutely illegal". She said "legends and inventions" about the knights had been perpetuated by "fantasies" such as Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code and – "though of a different literary calibre" [That’s for sure!] – Umberto Eco’s Foucault’s Pendulum.

She said that in 1312 Pope Clement had declared that the Templars were not heretics, and had explained that he had only dissolved the order to prevent Philip IV from "opening up a schism in the Church". She said proof of the Templars’ fidelity to the Pope and Christian dogma lay in the prayer they had composed during their long imprisonment.

It was "beautiful and moving" and "full of poetry", Dr Frale said, but "incredibly has never been studied".The prayer is addressed to "Holy Mary, mother of God", the "consolation of those who hope", and "humbly implores" her to obtain freedom for the order "through the intercession of the angels, archangels, prophets, evangelists, apostles, martyrs, confessors and virgins". It adds that the Virgin Mary knows that "our enemies" have spread "calumnies and lies" about the order, and pleads with her to make them "return to truth and charity".

Last October the Vatican launched a scheme to market limited reproductions of Processus Contra Templarios (Papal Inquiry into the Trial of the Templars), also known as the Chinon document, which Dr Frale discovered in the Vatican archives in 2003 after realising that it had been wrongly catalogued.

She said the parchment proved Clement V had accepted the Templars were not guilty of heresy. Their initiation ceremony involved spitting on the Cross, but this was to brace them for having to do so if captured by Muslim forces.

30 Responses to L’OssRom: Knights Templar were innocent

Interesting if true. It’d be nice if their name could be cleared, if nothing else to clear some of the air surrounding the myths of their Order and take some of the heat off of the Church. Of course any ‘rehabilitation’ would be seen as a cover-up by the ‘evil’ Catholic church. Gotta love the conspiracy theorists.

I read recently that the Spanish organization mentioned above IS planning on sueing the Vatican to get the money back. A Spanish prosecutor said, very amusingly, “This is a case to be decided by the psychiatrists, rather than the judges,”

I second Romulus. Spitting on the cross seems like a very bizarre way to prepare a knight for martyrdom. Wouldn’t they be trained to resist all attempts to blaspheme the name of Christ? It just doesn’t seem to fit in…

It could be construed as a sacrifice on the part of the Knights: foregoing a gallant martyrdom, and instead staying alive and imprisoned with the hope of living long enough to be freed and serve the Church (alive) again.

If the Knights Templar took the 3 religious vows, who are all these heirs/successors? If in England the Church confiscated any property of the Knights it was then confiscated by Henry so if they want to sue anyone it should be the British Government. The same for France, Germany, Spain, Italy. Perhaps the Vatican could sue the Italian government to recover the territory it lost in Rome under Pius IX.

It seems to me, that the Knights Templar have been wrongly accused and tried for heresy and blasphemy.
But it seems from todays point of view, that the order was in a state in wich bisbanding it was the right thing to do, because the order had left it’s path.

It had been founded as an order of “monks in arms” like the other knight-orders, but in has turned more and more into a force, which was dominated by it’s military role. Thus the “weird” initiation acts, like spitting on the cross. You can find similar things in any modern army, though always “informal”. And while such behaviour might be tolerable for an army (maybe even a christian one) it is surely unbefitting for knights that have taken vows.

We live in a very litigious world, so I have no doubt that a Papal admission that the Order of Knights Templar was wrongfully deprived of its property will result in a lawsuit by someone in some jurisdiction. Lots of interesting questions would be raised: what law governs the cause of action? lex loci delicti commissi or lex loci fori? Is the applicable statute of limitations tolled by the absence of the Pontiff from the jurisdiction wherein the suit is filed? Is the Pope to be made a party in his corporate or personal capacity? What about Sovereign Immunity? At least in England, was Henry VIII’s destruction of the monasteries a superseding or intervening act?

This news article is fairly typical of the British press in its inaccuracies and shoddy and biased journalism in matters pertaining to Catholicism.

Last October the Vatican launched a scheme

“Launched a scheme” — manifest bias, intended to suggest that the Vatican is publishing these ancient documents purely to make money for itself.

to market limited reproductions of Processus Contra Templarios (Papal Inquiry into the Trial of the Templars), also known as the Chinon document,

Wrong. The Parchment of Chinon is just one of the documents included.

which Dr Frale discovered in the Vatican archives in 2003 after realising that it had been wrongly catalogued.

“Discovered”? Well, she located it anyway. It has always been known it was in the Vatican Archives, because a transcription of it was published in 1693 in Paris by Étienne Baluze, in his history, Vitae Paparum Avenionensis (“Lives of the Popes of Avignon”). Also, as Bishop Sergio Pagano, prefect of the Vatican Archives, reported last October, the Parchment of Chinon was “described perfectly” in a 1912 Vatican Archives catalogue. It was never hidden and has always been available to researchers. According to Bishop Pagano, modern researchers didn’t notice that catalogue reference until 2001. That reference is what enabled Dr. Barbara Frale to locate it in 2003.

While it is a good thing that the original parchment is now available for scholarly study, its contents have been available for study, and have been known to all serious Templar scholars, ever since Baluze published it in 1693.

Catholic News Service last fall had a good story that attempted to counter the hype and falsehoods that were been promoted by the mainstream media:

Gregory said: I read recently that the Spanish organization mentioned above IS planning on suing the Vatican to get the money back. A Spanish prosecutor said, very amusingly, “This is a case to be decided by the psychiatrists, rather than the judges.”

Indeed, those self-styled Templars in Spain had better think twice about trying to press their bogus claims in a court of law, as they might end up being sued themselves for fraud. There are several self-styled orders of chivalry claiming to be the modern Templars, and none of them can prove their claims.

“legends and inventions” about the knights had been perpetuated by “fantasies” such as Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code and – “though of a different literary calibre” [That’s for sure!] – Umberto Eco’s Foucault’s Pendulum.

I’m glad Time finally had the courage to say it. Ego Confiteo I read the DaVinci code as a) I like to make up my own mind about things and b) Iit had become such a part of popular culture that I didn’t want to miss out. When I was finished with it (it was lent to me by my aunt) she and I spent about 20 minutes laughing about how childish it was. I compared it to a Nancy Drew novel (no offense, Nancy) in that the clues, twists and “exotic” locations seemed to be geared towards the literary level of a 13-year-old reader. Dan Brown pompously tried to pepper the text with foreign words and phrases, but outed himself in that in several instances, they were out of context and just plain wrong (revealing he is just not that cultured to begin with). The sad fact is that this book was so popular in the US, which tells me people here really need to get out more.

i heard on the radio (Ave Maria from Ann Arbor) that another reason the templar were disbanded was that they were SUPER greedy and caused a lot of trouble and after they were suppressed there was ver little uproar and not missed by laymen because they were glad to be rid of the curruption

Of course I’m just an old courthouse rat, but WHENEVER somebody says, “It’s not about the money,” it IS about the money. Always.

That’s what Judge Mills Lane said when he was doing his court show. (I thought he was great and demystifying some of the more jargony aspects of the law. Favorite quote: “I’m not final because I’m right, I’m right because I am final“.)

However, I’ve never been impressed with the insight that it really is about the money when someone says it isn’t. True, it IS about the money, but to most people (reasonably in my estimation) money is merely the scoring system. It is the tangible proof of their rightness in a case. More money = more right. Whether or not they go home and take a bath in it is irrelevant.

Jordanes is very correct when he says the contents of the document have been known. All this recent hubbub is merely sensationalism … and is going to be picked up by every crackpot soi-dissant Templar “Order” [scare quotes] who wants to prove they are Templars. (Nevermind the fact that the font of honor (the Pope) had dissolved the organization.

The monies and properties in France were confiscated by Philip the Fair; the assets, properties, etc. in other lands were transferred to the Knights of the Hospital of St. John (Hospitallers), who are now known as the Knights of Malta and their legitimate spin-offs: the Johanniterorden in Europe, and the Order of St. John in England. The Templars in Portugal just changed their names and became the Knights of Christ. I think I recall reading, but don’t clearly remember, that a couple of Spanish Orders also received Templar properties.

Interestingly, most of the then-extant Templars were absorbed into the other Orders or were …. PENSIONED off. Yup … not burned at the stake, etc.

So, all you soi-dissant Templars — everything was transferred LEGALLY to other Church Chivralic Orders.

“I have no doubt that a Papal admission that the Order of Knights Templar was wrongfully deprived of its property will result in a lawsuit…”

But interestingly, the admission is that of Clement V, not Benedict XVI. Politics is always politics, even in the church, and right and wrong are still absolute whenever the injustice or offence date from. There may in fact be no legal heirs, but the order can still be rehabilitated, and may well deserve to be. And what harm could the presence of another equestrian order do in today\’s ecclesial morass? Heck, we may need their protection again in the future, just to make pilgrimage to the grocery store! (I\’m being fecetious…sort of…no, really I am…well, not completely…wink…frown…)

Favorite quote: “I’m not final because I’m right, I’m right because I am final“.

He cribbed that from Oliver Wendell Holmes — and like most of Holmes’ philosophy of law, it’s rubbish. Being final does not make one right, unless you’re God. Being final just makes you final.

This Templar stuff is not about the money. Not solely anyway. It’s about historical accuracy, truth, and justice: which is why none of the fake Templar “orders” will prevail. As Guy Power said, the Templars were created by the Pope and were dissolved by the Pope, and there is currently no Catholic chivalric order called the “Templars,” because none of those self-styled groups derives their honor and grace from any sovereign, not the Pope or anybody else.

The Templars were re-established as diocesan order in Siena. This is a new church foundation and they do not claim to be an historical continuation of the original Templars. See: http://www.ordo-militiae-templi.org/

Scott – but to most people (reasonably in my estimation) money is merely the scoring system.

Very true. But it is also the measure of punishment in the corporate world. We have also witnessed this scenario in the recent punitive damages awarded to victims of the abuse scandal. Meaning, damages were awarded in previous decades as well, but never in the sums (i.e. as in Mahoney’s LA diocese). This was the court (which is an extension of the government) saying, “enough is enough! maybe NOW you will learn.”

Back to the Templars, I have a sneaky suspicion that there is no real line of ascendency involved here, which means they are as legitimate as any Wiccan with a broom who claims ascendency from some ancient order.

I too find the “spitting on the cross” bit quite strange, and not at all in line with the theme of the story, which I take it is (was) the innocence of the Knights.

The Knights were famous for fighting without quarter – taken or given – and I
find it hard to believe that they would TRAIN their men in such an impious
act that, at the very least, would have scandalized other Christians and
emboldened their Muslim enemies.

This story makes me think that perhaps the Knights really did have serious
doctrinal and pedagogic problems within their order.

Cornelius – I can’t say this for sure, but it was also rumoured that the knights had what were the Western equivalent of “ninjas”. They went out among the populace of given regions to scout or spy. Remember: at this point in history, the world was not as Christian and Mohammedan as it is now; there were countless other religions and sects in the regions (some that still survive today in small pockets) as well as traders/travelers. So, if captured, the knight in question could feign ignorance at Christianity, the language of his captors or symbols of any kind. Spitting on a cross would be an “easy out” so to speak, without being forced to renounce Christianity or commit verbal blasphemy.

Once again, this is speculation and can’t really be proven at this point any more than any other claim or accusation about the Templars.

“However Dr Frale said the arrests by Philip IV were “absolutely illegal”.”

Really? According to whose law? I am not defending P IV but I think a medieval French king was subject to different laws than Dr. Frale. It’s just absurd to seek legal redress for something that happened in the Middle Ages. Idiots.

BTW, I quite liked Foucault’s Pendulum – it mocked Dan Brown before he even made it on the scene. IIRC, recently Umberto Eco said Brown reminded him of one of his characters from Pendulum, and in fact Brown might not even be real. ;)

What seems really weird to me is that a group in Spain would claim to be heirs to the Templars. Though the French Templars may have been turned into moneylenders at the time of the suppression, in Spain they were still fighting against “the Religion of Peace”. When the order was suppressed in Spain, their goods were confiscated (by the governments, not the Church) but turned over to the newly-created order of Our Lady of Montesa, which continued as a (semi) sovereign order until 8 December 1587 when its last Grand Master (a less reputable brother of St Francis Borgia) turned it over to Philip II. Montesa was damaged by an earthquake in 1748 and eventually the order moved to Valencia, where they are housed (not coincidentally) in la casa del Temple.

So if they really want “their” lost assets, they should sue the order of Montesa or its Grand Master (king) Juan Carlos.

Emilio very good points. And if these neo-Templars want to open that particular can of worms, maybe they should expect to hear from the heirs of Saladin and other Mohammedans filing suit against the raided caravans and trading ships commandeered by the Templars.

It will be interesting to see how this story develops over the upcoming months.

Speaking of knights and such, I just want to note that Corpus Christianum (www.corpuschristianum.org) is an association dedicated to praying for the renewal of Christendom… in case anyone is interested.

L’accusa era quella di eresia: secondo un’ordinanza d’arresto scritta dal braccio destro del sovrano, lo stesso giurista Guillaume de Nogaret che aveva partecipato all’attentato di Anagni contro Papa Bonifacio viii (1303), i Templari praticavano in segreto riti pagani e avevano voltato le spalle alla fede cristiana. The accusation was that of heresy: according to an order of arrest written by the right arm of the sovereign, the same lawyer Guillaume de Nogaret who had participated all’attentato of Anagni against Pope Boniface viii (1303), the Templars practiced in secret rites pagans and had turned their backs on the Christian faith.

If their “reputation” is to be “restored” wouldn’t the first step be to require them to return to the Holy Land to continue the good fight? Just hoping.

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